The First Few Weeks with a New Puppy

The 1st weeks with a new puppy can be trying times.

The first few weeks with your new puppy can be the most trying of the training process because of potty training and the puppy’s sleeping patterns. The best thing to start with is to be relaxed yourself at all times as the puppy can sense excitement. The puppy can be really cute and cuddly until you get them home from the kennel, pet store or breeder. Puppies that come from kennels and pet stores can be a real hassle to train so you should be prepared to spend some extra time with these puppies compared to a breeder puppy. The puppy is going to be scared and amazed by their new environment and it’s important to remember that they are only babies and they don’t know right from wrong until you teach them. The first week should be a time to grow trust between you and your new puppy. Getting a new dog can be exciting, but also a lot of work.

The day you bring puppy home should not be a time for visitors. The puppy can become confused about whom to come to and feel safe with. The safe feeling a puppy gets from you and your family will eventually become the bond that ties the puppy to you. Puppies have the same attention span as a human baby, and that is not a very long time so don’t try to work on one command too much at once. If your puppy wanders off during a training session do not get upset. Give them a break and come back to the command later. Once again do not get stressed out. The puppy can sense this and become agitated themselves. If the puppy becomes agitated by the training process, their training and your bond together can be jeopardized. The puppy may even avoid anything that you are trying to teach them because they know it upsets you.

In the first weeks with your new dog, potty training can be the hardest task.

One of the hardest things to accomplish is usually puppy potty training. During the first weeks wiht a new puppy, you should spend a lot of time outside so that when the puppy does its “business” you are in the appropriate place. Right after the puppy eats they should always go immediately outside. When your puppy has a full belly this can push on the bladder and cause an accident. Another thing to remember is having treats with you at all times in order to reward good behavior. I usually carry a ziplock bag of treats wherever I go with my dog. This is a practice I have continued with that seems to work pretty well. When and if your puppy does have an accident, do not yell at them as this will only cause the animal to fear you. If your puppy doesn’t understand the potty schedule yet this can also make the puppy associate going potty with you yelling at them. Understanding that when you take on a puppy this is going to happen from time to time so you should be prepared to clean your carpet.

Another topic that is worrisome during the first few weeks is the sleeping arrangements. Setting up sleeping arrangements is one of the most important things to establish in the 1st week with a new puppy. If a puppy is going to sleep in your bed be prepared to have a full size dog in your bed with you later on. If you are going to crate train your puppy it is a good idea to start that immediately. Most puppies will bark or cry for the first few nights no matter where you put them. Once again, do not yell at the puppy. Barking through the night during the first week or so is normal. The main thing to do at this stage is to ignore the bad behaviors and reward the good ones. Laying the groundwork for good training later is the key here. If your puppy finds that if he or she does a certain behavior that gets your attention they will continue that behavior. If you ignore the bad behavior they will eventually learn that it does no good and they will focus more on the behaviors that get treats and praise.

You may want to start to socialize your puppy about a week after you get them. This can be a little tuff in the beginning because the puppy has no manners. Remember that what we as pet owners think is cute and playful may not seem so cute to some of the guests in your home. This is especially true with some of the larger breeds. This can be a good time to establish a time out area. A time out area should not only be for bad behavior but for somewhere the dog can be away from people alone. Puppies can become too excited and can also become aggressive with children. An area that is set aside for them besides a crate can be a very good idea. I use a baby gate in the laundry room that seems to do the trick. Socializing with other dogs that don’t live in the home can be tricky and should be saved for after the puppy feels comfortable with its owner. If the puppy is socialized before growing a bond with its owner, dominant behaviors can become an issue. Socializing the puppy with other people supervised by you is the best way to show them that other people are not there to hurt you or them.

The first weeks with a new puppy will set the stage for the rest of his or her life.

Chewing and biting in the first few weeks depending on your pups age is going to be normal because of teething. Basically it is your job to make sure to put anything that the puppy shouldn’t have out of their reach. You have to supply the puppy with a chew toy of some type so they don’t think that you or your furniture is acceptable to chew on. Something to touch on also is that you do not want to give the puppy anything like a sock tied in a knot or an old shoe this can give them the go ahead to chew your clothes and shoes. Find a chewie that they find interesting and stick mainly to that. The best chewie to start with is the rope type, or one designed for teething puppies that they can’t shred. Rawhide can be dangerous for puppies and their digestive systems.

Now that you have a new puppy, we highly recommend trying the Secrets to Dog Training guide by Daniel Stevens. You will learn all the secrets to bringing your new puppy up right so he or she will obey and respect your rules. We know many happy dog owners that have used this eBook to train their new pets with great success.

The information we have given you here should get you started to training your new pet without over doing it in the first few weeks. Once a few of these basic “new puppy” problems are solved, you will be able to move on to other training like basic manners, sit, and stay. Always remember never yell at them, they are only babies. Rather than yelling at your pet try to distract them to a good behavior. A puppy's first weeks are always hard for you and your new pet. You will be a happy pet family in no time. Thank you for allowing us at help with pet training to assist in the proper training of your puppy. We have found the best pet training and we are glad that we are able to share it with you and your pet.